Ski binding with friction-reducing means between ski boot and ski

ABSTRACT

A ski binding is combined with one or several discs of plastic material inserted between the sole of the ski boot and the ski boot supporting surface of the ski. The discs are provided with diametrical bores through which a cable is passed which extends longitudinally of the ski between the boot and the ski surface. The cable passes through guides secured to the ski at both ends of the ski boot and is extended to form a loop about the upper of the boot. In a modification, one end of the cable is attached to the ski adjacent one end of the boot and the other end is attached to the ski boot.

[151 3,647,234 [451 Mar. 7,1972

SKI BINDING WITH FRICTION- REDUCING MEANS BETWEEN SKI BOOT AND SKI Inventors: Ernst Gertsch, Sporthaus Central, Wengen; Ulrich Gertsch, 461 G, Aenderbergstrasse, Matten, lnterlaken, both of Switzerland Filed: Oct. 31, 1969 Appl.N0.: 872,904

Foreign Application Priority Data Field of Search ..280/l 1.35 C, 11.35 T

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,540,749 11/1970 Marker ..280/l1.35 T 3,511,516 5/1970 Smolka et al ..280/l1.35 T

Primary ExaminerBenjamin Hersh Assistant Examiner-Robert R. Song Attorney-Werner W. Kleeman 57] ABSTRACT A ski binding is combined with one or several discs of plastic material inserted between the sole of the ski boot and the ski boot supporting surface of the ski. The discs are provided with diametrical bores through which a cable is passed which extends longitudinally of the ski between the boot and the ski surface. The cable passes through guides secured to the ski at both ends of the ski boot and is extended to form a loop about the upper of the boot. In a modification, one end of the cable is attached to the ski adjacent one end of the boot and the other end is attached to the ski boot.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures SKI BINDING WITH FRICTION-REDUCING MEANS BETWEEN SKI BOOT AND SKI In the hitherto-known safety ski bindings, in which locking mechanisms, e.g., front clamps or automatic heel locking means, engage directly on the ski boots or on fittings thereon, safety against accidents is impaired in that the coefficient of friction which is important, for example for sideward release, between sole of the boot and its support on the ski, is dependent upon the material and the surface profile of the sole, as well as upon such factors as moisture, snow, ice, dirt or on the pressure exerted by the skier on the boot support. It is practically impossible to take into account all these factors influencing the release when adjusting the safety binding. It is therefore unavoidable that under certain conditions, the binding is adjusted either too firmly or too loosely. The first case can lead to accidents upon falling and the second case can give rise to premature, undesired release of the binding.

It is an object of the invention to provide a ski binding which avoids these disadvantages by the insertion of friction reducing means between the ski boot and the ski. According to the invention a ski binding for releasingly connecting a ski boot to the ski comprises a friction reducing disc of plastic material arranged between the sole of the ski boot and the surface of the ski, and a flexible pull member connected to said disc for holding the disc freely movable on the ski. In this manner, the influence of variable friction on the release of the binding is widely eliminated and a greater safety is obtained.

The invention will be better understood, and objects other than those set forth above, will become apparent, when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof; Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein generally the same reference numerals or I characters have been employed in the various Figures to denote the same or analogous elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a first embodiment of a ski binding according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of this embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a modification of the ski binding according to FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation of a second embodiment of a ski binding according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of this second embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an elevation of a third embodiment of a ski binding; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of this embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a ski boot 1 is secured to the ski 4 in a manner known per se. The front of the boot is held by means of a fore clamp 2 allowing sideward release and the back is held by means of an automatic heel locking means 3. Two discs 5 consisting of plastic material, e.g., Teflon, are located between the sole of the boot and the surface of the ski. The two discs are provided with a diametrically running bore through which a flexible cable 6 is passed. The discs 5 are either clamped or otherwise fixed to the cable 6 or the bores may be of such diameter that the discs may longitudinally slide along the cable. At the front of the boot, the cable 6 traverses the front clamp 2 and at the back it traverses the automatic heel-locking means 3. The cable 6 is bent up at both ends of the boot and forms a closed loop passing along one side of the ski boot upper. It is connected with a branch cable 7 which passes around the other side of the ski boot and is detachably connected'to the cable 6 by means of a spring safety hook 8. In this way, the ski boot, as may be seen immediately from FIG. 1, remains connected with the ski whenever the binding releases from the boot, so that the ski cannot run away from the boot. The cable '6 may be provided with a resilient helical wire sheath for stabilization and protection purposes.

In the modification according to FIG. 3, the end of a cable 9 passing through the automatic heel locking means 3 is attached to one end of a compression spring I having its other end fixed to a support 11 on the ski 4. The discs fitted tightly to the cable 9 thus may easily move on the surface of the ski 4 whenever the binding is released, the spring 10 tending to return the disc 5 into their original position. The front end portion of the cable is arranged to form a detachable loop about the boot upper, as shown in FIG. I. A resilient support of the cable 9, such as spring 10, could also be provided at the front of the ski boot or even at both the front and rear ends. Also, the cable could be constructed to be resilient itself.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 4 and 5, the two discs 5 are arranged on two parallel cables 12 and 13. One end of each cable passes through the front clamp 2 and is secured thereto. Within the rear disc 5, the cables 12 and 13 separate laterally to both sides of the ski and each cable end is provided with a ring 14. Belts 15 passing round the upper of the ski boot 1 engage these rings 14, so that both cable ends thus are secured to the ski boot I.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 6 and 7, the discs 5 are again arranged on two parallel cables 16 and 17. One end of each cable passes through the automatic heel locking means 3 and is secured thereto. In the front disc 5, the two cables l6, 17 separate towards both sides and are then connected together at 18. One cable 16 is extended beyond this point of connection 18 and is provided at its end with a spring safety hook 19. As maybe seen from FIG. 6, the cables l6, 17 are passed from the front disc 5 over the front portion of the boot, and the extension of the cable 16 will be passed around the upper of the boot 1 and, secured to boot by means of a spring safety hook 19 whereby the cable forms a connection between the ski-boot l and ski 4; whenever the binding releases the ski cannot run away.

Instead of having the cable extended in front of the clamp 2 and at the rear of the heel locking means 3 to form a closed loop, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it could be extended either at the front or at the rear only and have its other end connected in any convenient manner with the ski boot.

The cables holding the plastic disc could be secured to the ski boot at the front and rear portions of the sole or at both sides, so that the discs would be firmly connected to the ski boot.

Furthermore, instead of two Teflon discs, only one or also three such discs could be arranged between the sole of the ski boot and the ski in position by means of a flexible cable or other pull member. These Teflon discs which could also be square or rectangular instead of circular, as shown, reduce the friction between ski boot and supporting surface of the ski and therefore permit a more uniform release of the binding.

We claim:

1. A ski binding for releasingly connecting a ski boot to a ski, comprising two friction reducing discs of plastic material arranged on the ski boot supporting surface of the ski in longitudinally spaced relation of the ski and forming the support of the ski boot, said friction reducing discs being arranged between the sole of the ski boot and the surface of the ski, said friction reducing discs being each provided with a diametral bore, a flexible pull member connected to said discs for holding the discs freely movable on the surface of the ski, holding means for said pull member on the ski, at least one end of the pull member being extended beyond said holding means, and means on said extended portion for securing the end thereof to the ski boot, a cable defining said flexible pull member passing through the bores of said discs in a direction longitudinally of the ski, said holding means comprising guide means for said cable fixed to the ski at either end of the ski boot, said cable having portions passing beyond said guide means for attachment to the ski boot.

5. A ski binding as defined in claim 2, wherein the pull member is extended at least at one end beyond its point of connection to the ski and the extended portion of the pull member is attached to the ski boot to act as safety means and prevent loss of the ski upon'release of the binding.

6. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein the pull member is secured to the ski at the front of the ski boot and has its rear end attached to the ski boot at the back.

7. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein the pull member is secured to the ski at the back of the ski boot and has its front portion connected to the ski boot.

8. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein the pull member is secured at both ends to the ski boot.

9. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible pull member consists of a cable having a resilient helical wire sheath 10. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein said friction reducing disc consists of Teflon.

11. A ski binding for releasingly connecting a ski boot to a ski, comprising a friction reducing disc of plastic material arranged between the sole of the ski boot and the surface of the ski, a flexible pull member connected to said disc for holding the disc freely movable and positionally adjustable on the surface of the ski in the longitudinal direction thereof, holding means for said pull member on the ski, at least one end of the pull member being extended beyond said holding means, and means on said extended portion for securing the end thereof to the ski boot. 

1. A ski binding for releasingly conNecting a ski boot to a ski, comprising two friction reducing discs of plastic material arranged on the ski boot supporting surface of the ski in longitudinally spaced relation of the ski and forming the support of the ski boot, said friction reducing discs being arranged between the sole of the ski boot and the surface of the ski, said friction reducing discs being each provided with a diametral bore, a flexible pull member connected to said discs for holding the discs freely movable on the surface of the ski, holding means for said pull member on the ski, at least one end of the pull member being extended beyond said holding means, and means on said extended portion for securing the end thereof to the ski boot, a cable defining said flexible pull member passing through the bores of said discs in a direction longitudinally of the ski, said holding means comprising guide means for said cable fixed to the ski at either end of the ski boot, said cable having portions passing beyond said guide means for attachment to the ski boot.
 2. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible pull member is secured to the ski adjacent either end of the ski boot.
 3. A ski binding as defined in claim 2, wherein said pull member is connected to the ski by the intermediary of spring means.
 4. A ski binding as defined in claim 2, wherein said pull member is resilient.
 5. A ski binding as defined in claim 2, wherein the pull member is extended at least at one end beyond its point of connection to the ski and the extended portion of the pull member is attached to the ski boot to act as safety means and prevent loss of the ski upon release of the binding.
 6. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein the pull member is secured to the ski at the front of the ski boot and has its rear end attached to the ski boot at the back.
 7. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein the pull member is secured to the ski at the back of the ski boot and has its front portion connected to the ski boot.
 8. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein the pull member is secured at both ends to the ski boot.
 9. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible pull member consists of a cable having a resilient helical wire sheath.
 10. A ski binding as defined in claim 1, wherein said friction reducing disc consists of Teflon.
 11. A ski binding for releasingly connecting a ski boot to a ski, comprising a friction reducing disc of plastic material arranged between the sole of the ski boot and the surface of the ski, a flexible pull member connected to said disc for holding the disc freely movable and positionally adjustable on the surface of the ski in the longitudinal direction thereof, holding means for said pull member on the ski, at least one end of the pull member being extended beyond said holding means, and means on said extended portion for securing the end thereof to the ski boot. 